The Yelon and Waukegan Harbor statement that there is an accessible kayak launch is false. The…read morelaunch is 30' into the lake, tied to a revetment that users cannot access without walking through 3' of Waukegan Harbor water. it looks like it was destroyed by winter ice. Don't go there.

Great place to fish or just be out in the water relaxing. We got a charter & went fishing in Sept…read more 2018, fortunately for us the weather was great. It was trout season so we caught some huge Lake Trout(see pics) that we ended up grilling that night. Was told by the Captain that salmon season is in June so definitely will be coming back for that. You're welcome to bring your own snacks & drinks, check with your charter to see if they allow booze on board. Happy Fishing!

This place is beautiful, with an awesome little pier, multiple nice shoreline walking areas, and…read morepretty direct access to the des plaines river and another, much smaller pond with a stream running just south of the parking lot. The only reason this place doesn't get a perfect 5 star is for 2 reasons: 1. On the northern edge of the lake, the expressway and electric towers are very loud and get pretty annoying, and 2. You better pack bug spray because the day I came here, I had 6 ticks crawling on me after I left. luckily none of them bit me, but still. I understand it's tick season but it's still pretty crazy. Awesome place overall, and seems to have good fishing. Even saw a loon on the day I went. Would recommend as a walking/fishing area.

Lake Carina is a forest preserve. I went here to eat a late lunch and walk around with my…read moreboyfriend. It's quite small and easy to miss when you're driving on 21. The venue has a lot of parking and the lake is very pretty. It's a nice place to go for a walk. Beware of the many mosquitoes and gnats - it is a lake after all. I am afraid of bees, and there seemed to be an abundance of them on the trail. Along the walking trail, there are benches along the way. There are picnic tables and trash bins by the entrance of the trail. When you enter, there is a dock for fishing. You must be licensed to fish if you are over the age of 16. There is also a bike trail, but I didn't get a chance to check that out. I believe the walking trail is about a mile long. You could also walk your dog. They conveniently have doggy bags at the beginning of the trail as well. There is also a bathroom area next to the parking lot. The walking trail itself is pretty, but nothing amazing. You do go under some big electric posts. When we were walking, they were buzzing which was a little scary for me. The last thing I'll add is be careful where you step. Some people aren't considerate enough to pick up after their dogs. Other than that, it's a nice place to go for a walk. It's not a place I would go out of my way to see.

Van Patten Woods Forest Preserve is an excellent place for a picnic, fishing, canoeing, biking and…read morea tranquil walk. The wide gravel path is 2.5 miles around the beautiful Sterling lake. It's shady with many trees and also nice and breezy. They have nice private picnic areas right on the lake front along with a couple restrooms. It's a great fun day out for families!

Easy hike we took the Yellow Trail. Kid friendly, playground and restrooms are available. The trail…read morehad some cool wood chairs around the trail.

Great Blue Heron nesting spot. They also had a flower/plant sale going on when I was there. Neat…read moremarsh to go observe wildlife, in fact, they will loan you some binaculars on weekends!

Independence Grove is such a nice forest preserve with lots of things to do especially in the…read moresummer time. Beautiful trails to walk/run along but they also have a playground for kids. They have a beer garden and snack shop. They also have water activities that you can rent like paddle boats and kayaks. It's just a nice place to go solo or with friends if you are looking to connect with nature for a bit.

Independence Grover is very much a Beautiful Paradise to My Husband & I. We discovered this great…read morenature center when we shopped at a thrift store I like. There are many fish by the tables if you bring something to eat. The bathrooms are very clean & close by. The natural nature is gorgeous! People can rent boats too. The paths are nice to walk on & this is a huge place! Plenty of parking in each section. Fishing as well. I seen there is a beach by the tables to eat at. Very cute. Peaceful too. We live in Chicago & many of our nature areas are very crowded. Even if it would get busy there is enough room for everyone here. I love it!! The plants & flowers are Amazing! I do wish we lived closer. If you have not made a visit please do.

We went salmon fishing in May 2016. Everything was so perfect. The weather was nice, the lake was…read morepeaceful, and the fish was biting. Each of us took 5 salmons home. He also filet them all for us on the way back, so no time was wasted. I love captain Rick, and we decided to come back again next year! :)

Captain Rick sure knows his business. He is very professional and delivered on the services and a…read moregreat haul of fish!

Hastings Lake Forest Preserve has approximately a 2.1 mile hike. The path is paved and pretty even…read morethroughout. It wraps around the lake which offers nice breezes. Many areas along the trail are shaded by large trees so it's not all sunny and hot. The lake has a good population of turtles and surprisingly also has big mouth bass among other species that you are allowed to fish! They offer a boat ramp to bring your boat or even canoe! They also have plenty of places around the lake to sit and just reflect and relax. The path was very clean and markers easy to spot as there is only 1 path and no diversions. It's a great morning activity with family and friends.

This is a hidden gem with a paved walking path all the way around the lake and beautiful woods.read more

My first time here. I've avoided this area because it's surrounded by iffy neighborhoods with high…read morecrime rates like murders. They had a fall festival this past weekend with free guided walks so I figured it would be safe for us. Loved the guided walk and how informative it was. This is a high quality state park with lots of native plants still intact. So the whole place is pretty deserted but it did rain in the morning. Cars with completely tinted windows drive around in broad daylight. Pretty scary...The campgrounds have security that do not allow you to pass through unless you are a camper so that would make it safe. I saw a few police cars in the area as well. Personally, this isn't for me but if you are street smart, know your way around the neighborhood, it's great for hiking.

8/7/2024: Three dings…read more1) Parking lot bathrooms have no locks at all 2) Beach front south side of park mostly washed out except for section between hotel and trail head 3) Entrance to South Park entrance from main road is currently completely blocked by road closure if you are coming from the south, detour is available but adds time

My two sons and I had an amazing day with Captain Nick. We all caught several fish and my oldest…read moreson hooked and landed a 19# king salmon. Nick and mate were knowledgeable and fun to fish with. Next time I'm back in the area we will look to rich with him again. Great day.

Lowest price around, and really great guy! Honestly, Captain Nick was such a pleasure to deal…read morewith, as was Jim his mate. Communication before we arrived was spot on. Captain didn't even charge my credit card for the deposit because he was worried about the weather and the possibility that he might have to cancel. I found this place as a treat for my step dad and a buddy who have been fishing back east over over 20 years on various charters. They really enjoyed themselves and couldn't beleive how reasonable all of this was for what we got. Yeah, we only caught 3 fish (would have been 4 but we lost one and that was on us). but they were good sized and everyone had a really great time. This may turn into an annual trip for my step dad!

Spent the morning at Illinois State Park beach...the biting…read moreflies finally win and chased us away...which led us to this little hidden gem. Jones Island Park is a well kept park full of shade trees, a playground, walking trail with benches, a shelter house, a sand volleyball court...and a beach. It's small, we'll-maintained, the swim area is marked off, the water is warm, the littles can stand, and there are no flies!!! Not quite the view of the Great Lake, but still a beautiful setting. Swim in the lake area. Fish in the canal. Relax beneath a shade tree. A little bit of something here to keep the young and the old content for a very long while!!! Annnnnd, unlike the rest of the local park/beaches....it's free!!!

Fantastic local park, with volleball field, kids park and a small beach. Great fishing too.read more